Federal
- HR 2

Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act

Introduced

March 24, 2015

Description

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to repeal the Medicare sustainable growth rate and strengthen Medicare access by improving physician payments and making other improvements, to reauthorize the Children's Health Insurance Program, and for other purposes (official title to be confirmed).

April 16, 2015 — Enrolled measure signed in the House. Congressional Record p. H2304

April 16, 2015 — Enrolled measure signed in the Senate. Congressional Record p. S2242

April 14, 2015 — Measure cleared for the president. Congressional Record p. S2161

April 14, 2015 — Senate Vote 144 Medicare Payments to Physicians — Passage Passage of a bill that would repeal the sustainable growth rate formula and replace it with a system in which physicians could choose to participate in either a reimbursement method where their payments would be subject to adjustments based on performance or a method where they would move away from the fee-for-service structure. It would provide for a 10-year transition period under which Medicare reimbursement rates would gradually increase annually until 2020 and then remain stable for five years. It also would extend funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program and community health centers for two years, as well as a variety of other health care policies. The measure would be partially offset through a combination of payment adjustments to various Medicare providers and increased payments from Medicare beneficiaries. The measure also would subject funding provided for community health centers to provisions under the fiscal 2016 omnibus appropriations law that prohibit use of funds for abortions. Passed (thus cleared for the president) 92-8. Note: A "yea" was a vote in support of the president's position. Congressional Record p. S2161

April 14, 2015 — Senate Vote 143 Medicare Payments to Physicians — Motion to Waive Hatch, R-Utah, motion to waive applicable provisions of the Budget Act with respect to the Sessions, R-Ala., point of order against the bill. The bill would repeal the sustainable growth rate formula and replace it with a system in which physicians could choose to participate in either a reimbursement method where their payments would be subject to adjustments based on performance or a method where they would move away from the fee-for-service structure. Motion agreed to 71-29. Note: A three-fifth majority vote (60) of the total Senate is required to waive the Budget Act. Subsequently, the chair upheld the point of order and the amendment fell. Congressional Record p. S2161

April 14, 2015 — Sessions, R-Ala., point of order that the bill violates section 305(b)(2) of the Congressional Budget Act, was rejected when the Hatch, R-Utah, rejected when the motion to waive applicable budget points of order was agreed to. Congressional Record p. S2161

April 14, 2015 — Senate Vote 142 Medicare Payments to Physicians — Motion to Waive Cardin, D-Md., motion to waive applicable provisions of the Budget Act with respect to the Hatch., R-Utah, point of order against the Cardin amendment no. 1119. The Cardin amendment would repeal the therapy cap and provide for a one year extension of the Manual Medical Review. Motion rejected 58-42. Note: A three-fifth majority vote (60) of the total Senate is required to waive the Budget Act. Subsequently, the chair upheld the point of order and the amendment fell. Congressional Record p. S2160

April 14, 2015 — Hatch, R-Utah, point of order, that the Cardin, D-Md., amendment no. 1119 violates section 305(b)(2) of the Congressional Budget Act, sustained when the Murray, D-Wash., motion to waive applicable budget points of order was rejected. Congressional Record p. S2160

April 14, 2015 — Cardin, D-Md., amendment no. 1119, fell when the point of order was sustained. Amendment text. Congressional Record p. S2160

April 14, 2015 — Senate Vote 141 Medicare Payments to Physicians — Annual Percentage Increases Cotton, R-Ark., amendment that would strike the funding model in the bill and replace it with an annual half-percent increase. Rejected 11-89. Note: A simple majority vote threshold was required for adoption of the amendment, pursuant to a unanimous consent agreement. Congressional Record p. S2159

April 14, 2015 — Senate Vote 140 Medicare Payments to Physicians — Motion to Waive Murray, D-Wash., motion to waive the Budget Act with respect to the Hatch, R-Utah., point of order against the Murray amendment no. 1117. The Murray amendment would extend for two years the 2010 healthcare overhaul provision that sets a payment floor for Medicaid payments for primary care services at the same payment level as Medicare, establish a grant program for health centers that participate in the Title X program to plan, develop, make improvements or expand the provision of preventive care in facilities that provide family planning services, provide a four-year extension of funding for Community Health Centers and the National Health Service Corps, increasing funding to $14 billion for fiscal 2016 through 2019 and provides incentives for nurse practitioner residency programs. Motion rejected 43-57. Note: A three-fifth majority vote (60) of the total Senate is required to waive the Budget Act. Subsequently, the chair upheld the point of order and the amendment fell. Congressional Record p. S2159

April 14, 2015 — Hatch, R-Utah, point of order, that the Murray, D-Wash., amendment no. 1117 violates section 305(b)(2) of the Congressional Budget Act, sustained when the Murray, D-Wash., motion to waive applicable budget points of order was rejected. Congressional Record p. S2159

April 14, 2015 — Murray, D-Wash., amendment no. 1117, fell when the point of order was sustained. Amendment text. Congressional Record p. S2158-S2159

April 14, 2015 — Senate Vote 138 Medicare Payments to Physicians — Motion to Waive Bennet, D-Colo., motion to waive the Budget Act with respect to the Hatch, R-Utah., point of order against the Bennet amendment no. 1115. The Bennet amendment would reauthorize the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for four years. Motion rejected 50-50. Note: A three-fifth majority vote (60) of the total Senate is required to waive the Budget Act. Subsequently, the chair upheld the point of order and the amendment fell. A "yea" was a vote in support of the president's position. Congressional Record p. S2158

April 14, 2015 — Hatch, R-Utah, point of order, that the Bennet, D-Colo., amendment no. 1115 violates section 305(b)(2)of the Congressional Budget Act, sustained when the Bennet, D-Colo., motion to waive applicable budget points of order was rejected. Congressional Record p. S2158

April 14, 2015 — Bennet, D-Colo., amendment no. 1115, fell when the point of order was sustained. Amendment text. Congressional Record p. S2157-S2158

April 14, 2015 — Senate Vote 137 Medicare Payments to Physicians — Individual Mandate Repeal Cornyn, R-Texas, amendment no. 1114 that would repeal the individual mandate under the 2010 healthcare overhaul. Rejected 54-45. Note: A 60 vote threshold was required for adoption of the amendment, pursuant to a unanimous consent agreement. A "nay" was a vote in support of the president's position. Congressional Record p. S2156-S2157

April 14, 2015 — Considered by the Senate. Congressional Record p. S2156-S2161

March 26, 2015 — Conyers, D-Mich., House speech: Personal explanation for roll call vote no.143, and would have voted yea if present. Congressional Record p. H2045

March 26, 2015 — Received in the Senate and held at the desk. Congressional Record p. S2040

March 26, 2015 — House Vote 144 Medicare Payments to Physicians — Passage Passage of the bill that would repeal the sustainable growth rate formula and replace it with a system in which physicians could choose to participate in either a reimbursement method where their payments would be subject to adjustments based on performance or a method where they would move away from the fee-for-service structure. It would provide for a 10-year transition period under which Medicare reimbursement rates would gradually increase annually until 2020 and then remain stable for five years. It also would extend funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program and community health centers for two years, as well as a variety of other health care policies. The measure would be partially offset through a combination of payment adjustments to various Medicare providers and increased payments from Medicare beneficiaries. The measure also would subject funding provided for community health centers to provisions under the fiscal 2016 omnibus appropriations law that prohibit use of funds for abortions. Passed 392-37. Note: A "yea" was a vote in support of the president's position. Congressional Record p. H2083

March 26, 2015 — House Vote 143 Medicare Payments to Physicians — Rule Adoption of the rule (H Res 173) that would provide for House floor consideration of the bill that would repeal the sustainable growth rate formula and replace it with a system in which physicians could choose to participate in either a reimbursement method where their payments would be subject to adjustments based on performance or a method where they would move away from the fee-for-service structure. Adopted 402-12. Congressional Record p. H2045

March 26, 2015 — Considered by the House. Congressional Record p. H2045-H2083

March 25, 2015 — Rules Committee resolution, H Res 173, reported to the House as a rule for HR 2.

March 25, 2015 — Statement of Administration Policy issued by Office of Management and Budget.

March 25, 2015 — House Rules Committee granted a closed rule providing for consideration of the bill. Congressional Record p. H2021, H2036, D345

March 25, 2015 — Rules Committee vote: Rule for Floor Consideration of HR 2, Medicare Physician Payment Deal-Vote to ReportOrdered reported favorably to the full House by voice vote.

March 25, 2015 — Full committee consideration and markup held by the House Rules Committee.

Provide a closed rule for House floor consideration of HR 2, which would replace Medicare’s physician payment formula, extend funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program through fiscal 2017 and make a number of other health policy changes.

The rule would provide one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chairmen and ranking members of the Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means committees.

It would provide that an amendment from Michael C. Burgess, R-Texas, making technical changes be considered adopted and allow one motion to recommit the measure.

It also would waive all points of order against consideration of the bill and against provisions in the legislation.

Ordered reported favorably to the full House by voice vote.

March 25, 2015 — Additional cosponsor(s): 3

Courtney, (D-Conn.)

Heck, J. (R-Nev.)

Perlmutter, (D-Colo.)

March 24, 2015 — Provisions of HR 289, the Better Efficiency and Administrative Simplification Act, are included in the bill.